


Happiness Like a Beacon

by ishtarelisheba



Series: Better to Face the Bullets 'verse [12]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-02
Updated: 2018-06-02
Packaged: 2019-05-17 10:58:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14831004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ishtarelisheba/pseuds/ishtarelisheba
Summary: A BtFtB 'verse one-shot. The Gold family attends a fundraiser thrown by Neal’s school for the benefit of a local children’s hospital. They cross paths with a couple of old friends, meet a new friend, and Neal overhears something that will never fail to make him happy.





	Happiness Like a Beacon

The children’s hospital fundraiser that Neal’s school put on was perhaps one of the most chaotic social events she’d ever attended. Students had been invited to attend with their parents, grandparents, or patron, depending on the child’s situation, and it appeared that no invitation had been turned down. 

Belle kept a tight hold on Rummond’s arm. She had assured him that he needn’t go, if he didn’t feel up to the crowd. He wouldn’t hear of it, though. They’d dressed for the cool, early fall evening ahead, and the three of them were there with bells on. 

The event had been set up just behind the school estate, everything arranged in the large back garden where drill lessons took place on fair weather days. Down one side of the garden’s length there were lined up games in booths for a penny a turn, and down the other, sweets and finger foods being sold for a sixpence. 

With her arm looped through her husband’s, Belle kept him away from the greater rushing of people. She guided them gently along one side, which just happened to be the side with food booths. Keeping a distracting bit of something to eat turned out an excellent way to soothe his nerves. They shared roasted periwinkles and cups of blackberry fool, and more than one bag of popcorn. Neither of them were quite up for the challenge of eating a candy apple in public. Thanks to his pocket money, Neal was on his second apple by the time dusk began to set in and the lamps were lit and hung on their posts around the garden. 

Being a fundraiser and major donor to the school, her father had of course been invited. He’d come to the decision that such levity was not his cup of tea. Thus, it was his donation as well as Rummond’s and her own that she placed in the headmaster’s hand when they crossed paths with him near a booth selling fizzy refreshment. 

“Captain!” someone called just as the headmaster began to engage in an overdone bit of flattery that was clearly making Rummond uncomfortable. She looked over in time to see David Nolan headed toward them, his daughter close on his heels.

Rummond’s entire demeanor seemed to relax a degree or two when he turned. “Corporal Nolan.”

“Captain Gold, Mrs. Gold,” David said with a smile as he gave Rummond’s hand a good shake. “I figured you’d be around tonight.”

The headmaster excused himself upon spotting another sure donor across the way. Waving a gentleman down, he hurried off.

Belle gave Emma a little wave. “Did Mary Margaret come along?”

“She’s got a night shift.” David shook his head. “They’re looking forward to you getting back next week.”

“I’d imagine so. The place scarcely runs without Belle.” Rummond grinned over at her.

David chuckled, glancing down at his daughter where she pulled herself off her feet with a hold on his coat sleeve. “Thought I’d bring Emma anyway, let her meet some of the kids she’ll see next year.”

“What a good idea. She’ll have some familiar faces around.” Belle smiled as the little girl let herself drop to the grass before turning to reach for Neal’s hand. “Though she doesn’t seem to have trouble making friends.”

Neal offered his partially eaten candy apple and Emma accepted with gusto, taking a bite from the side that left red smudges at the corners of her mouth. 

“Captain, what do you say we see what kind of games are on offer, contribute to a few cash boxes?” David asked, tipping his head in the direction of the booths along the opposite side of the garden. “I have a few thoughts about my Jenny I wanted to discuss.”

Rummond’s interest was piqued at the prospect of aeroplane talk. “Well, we _are_ here to contribute,” he said, leaning to press a kiss to Belle’s cheek.

She gave David a look distinctly communicating that she entrusted her husband to him. David touched the brim of his cap, giving her a smile and a nod before they headed off. Little Emma tagged along with her father, and it was a testament to how fond of her Neal was that he let his apple go with her.

“Do you want to go with your Papa?” Belle asked, seeing how he looked after them. “They’re going to play games, if you want to join.”

She and Rummond were less than two weeks home from their honeymoon. Neal was a tad clingy, still, so it came as no surprise to her when he shook his head and reached up to curl his fingers over top of her coat pocket.

“I’m staying here,” he said, and the decisive set to his mouth was precisely his father’s.

The headmaster came bustling up to her again, this time with someone else in tow. “Mrs. Gold, Mrs. Gold,” he addressed her as though she might get away before he could catch her again. “Ah, Mrs. Gold. Allow me to introduce you to Mrs. Alcaeus.”

“Meg,” the woman said, offering her hand. “Please, call me Meg.”

Meg Alcaeus had dark hair and a touch of a Mediterranean drawl to her words, and she didn’t seem much older than Belle herself. She wore an emerald green dress in a style slightly different to those the local women were wearing.

“You can call me Belle.” She gave Meg’s hand a polite moment’s hold. “You’ve just moved?”

“A few weeks ago. We’ve been cluttering up a relative’s house in London for the past year. We wanted to get our children away from the fighting back home,” Meg explained.

Belle nodded in understanding. It was easy to forget that there were places where the results of the war were still causing strife. The Prime Minister had promised Ottoman territory to Greece, and the attempts at exercising that claim weren’t at all going over well. 

“My husband is…” Meg looked around and sighed, then laughed. “Oh, honestly, Ercole is likely eating his way through the food stalls. We’ve at last set our new house to rights, and your fundraiser came at just the time.”

The headmaster observed their conversation as if he watched a badminton match. After a few awkward glances in his direction from both women, he made an excuse and stepped away. When Belle returned her attention to Meg from Mr. Pabbie’s retreating back, she found her smiling down at Neal.

“Who is this young gentleman?” Meg asked.

“This would be Neal,” Belle told her, straightening his cap and resting her hand on his shoulder. “My son.”

Neal’s gaze flicked back to Belle, stars in his eyes. 

It took him a few seconds to realize how their new acquaintance held her hand out to him just as she had to Belle. “How nice to meet you, Neal,” Meg said when he accepted the gesture.

“Nice to meet you,” he repeated, pressing himself closer to Belle and turning to hide a bright smile against her skirts.

**Author's Note:**

> (Takes place just after [their honeymoon](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12162570/chapters/27603060).)


End file.
